Dreams of the deceased: A scoping and mixed-methods systematic review.
Sleep Medicine April 1, 2026 Zulkayda Mamat, Rumia B Owaisi, Sarif Alrai et al.
Dreams of deceased loved ones are common across cultures and often serve emotional functions related to grief processing, such as providing comfort, guidance, and a sense of continued connection. A systematic scoping and mixed-methods review of 110 publications found that 60.9% of reports were published after 2010, with 51.8% from the USA. Among 76 studies analyzed in depth, 73.7% used qualitative methods. The impact of these dreams tended to be positive, suggesting a role in facilitating emotional healing. The review calls for interdisciplinary collaboration to better understand these dreams and their implications for grieving and cultural practices.